Refrigerant unit

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a refrigerant unit with which it is possible to enhance collision safety and safely use a combustible refrigerant. [Solution] A refrigerant unit in which constituent elements including a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, an evaporator, and an accumulator are attached to a support member, the refrigerant unit being characterized in that the support member has a bottom plate part and a rising wall that form a T-shaped cross section, the bottom plate part and the rising wall extend further outward than the constituent elements, and the T-shaped cross section is disposed in a vehicle front direction.

Description

Refrigerant Unit

[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerant unit.

[0002] In a general layout of the front part of a conventional vehicle that runs on electricity such as an EV (Electric Vehicle), PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle), or HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle), as shown in FIG. 7, a firewall 110 that separates the engine room and the cabin inside the vehicle is sandwiched, and a refrigerant unit 10 is provided in the front and an HVAC 120 (a device for heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning inside the vehicle) is provided in the rear. Also, a luggage space or auxiliary equipment 130 and a radiator 140 are provided in front of the refrigerant unit 10.

[0003] As the refrigerant unit 10, a small refrigerant unit 10 in which devices (compressor, condenser, evaporator, expansion device, refrigerant piping, etc.) that constitute a refrigerant circuit are fixed to a support member and integrated is known.

[0004] As a refrigerant used in such a refrigerant unit 10, a refrigerant with a low environmental impact has been attracting attention in consideration of the environment (for example, see Patent Document 1). For example, R290 made from propane has a zero ozone depletion potential (ODP), a very low global warming potential (GWP), and high energy efficiency, so it has been attracting attention as a refrigerant with a low environmental impact.

[0005] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2023-181171

[0006] However, since R290 has a high flammability, explosion-proof measures are required, but the structure of the conventional refrigerant unit 10 has not been sufficient.

[0007] That is, the rear part (in the vehicle reverse direction) of the refrigerant unit 10 is protected by the firewall 110, and the upper part is protected by the bonnet, but there is no shield to protect the refrigerant unit 10 in the front part (in the vehicle forward direction) and the side parts of the refrigerant unit 10. Therefore, when colliding with another vehicle or the like in these directions, there is a risk of fire or explosion due to the leakage of R290.

[0008] This invention was made to solve the aforementioned conventional technical problems, and aims to provide a refrigerant unit that enhances collision safety and enables the safe use of flammable refrigerants.

[0009] To solve these problems, the refrigerant unit according to the present invention has the following configuration.

[0010] A refrigerant unit comprising components including a compressor, condenser, expansion device, evaporator, and accumulator, mounted on a support member, wherein the support member has a bottom plate portion and a rising wall forming a T-shaped cross-section, the bottom plate portion and the rising wall extend outward from the components, and the T-shaped cross-section is positioned in the direction of the front of the vehicle.

[0011] According to the present invention, which has these features, it is possible to provide a refrigerant unit that enhances collision safety and allows for the safe use of flammable refrigerants.

[0012] This is a perspective view of a refrigerant unit according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, as seen from the compressor side. This is a top view of a refrigerant unit according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. This is a stacking example (front view) of a refrigerant unit according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. This is a perspective view of a refrigerant unit according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention, as seen from the compressor side. This is a top view of a refrigerant unit according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. This is a perspective view of a refrigerant unit according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention, as seen from the compressor side. This is a conventional layout of the front part of a vehicle.

[0013] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Each drawing is illustrative of an embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. In the following description, the same reference numerals in different figures indicate parts with the same function, and redundant explanations in each figure will be omitted as appropriate.

[0014] In the drawings, the dimensional relationships of each element are for ease of understanding and are not intended to restrict actual dimensional ratios. Also, in the drawings, each direction is relative to the driver's seat, with the forward direction of the vehicle being the X direction (positive side), the side of the vehicle being the Y direction (positive side is the direction to the left when looking forward from the driver's seat), and the vertically upward direction being the Z direction (positive side).

[0015] Embodiment 1 of the refrigerant unit 10 according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. The refrigerant unit 10 according to this embodiment is a unit formed by fixing each component constituting the refrigerant circuit to a support member 12, and is used, for example, in an air conditioning system or thermal management system that is mounted on a vehicle equipped with a traction battery and performs air conditioning in the vehicle cabin and temperature control of in-vehicle equipment.

[0016] As shown in each figure, the refrigerant unit 10 comprises a compressor 20, a condenser 24, an expansion device 28 including an expansion valve, an evaporator 30, an accumulator 34, a flow path module 38, and refrigerant piping (not shown) connecting these (hereinafter, the compressor 20 and the like are collectively referred to as "all components"), and a T-shaped support member 12 that comprehensively supports each component.

[0017] The main roles of each component and the flow of the refrigerant are as follows. The refrigerant circulating in the refrigerant circuit vaporizes in the evaporator 30 and is drawn into the compressor 20, where it changes to a high-pressure, high-temperature state. The high-pressure, high-temperature refrigerant discharged from the compressor 20 releases heat and liquefies in the condenser 24, changing to a low-temperature state. The refrigerant that has liquefied and become low-temperature in the condenser 24 becomes low-pressure in the expansion device 28, absorbs heat from the surroundings and vaporizes in the evaporator 30, and is drawn into the compressor 20 again, and this flow is repeated. In this way, the condenser 24 and evaporator 30 are refrigerant-heat transfer medium heat exchangers that perform heat exchange between the refrigerant and the heat transfer medium (for example, water), and by supplying the heat of the refrigerant to the temperature-controlled object via the heat transfer medium circuit (not shown), air conditioning in the vehicle interior and temperature control of in-vehicle equipment are performed.

[0018] The accumulator 34 is installed between the evaporator 30 and the compressor 20 to prevent liquid refrigerant from flowing into the compressor 20.

[0019] The flow path module 38 has a manifold structure in which multiple refrigerant flow paths are integrally formed inside a metal body, and constitutes at least a part of the flow path through which the refrigerant circulates in the refrigerant circuit. Alternatively, individual pipes may be used instead of the flow path module 38 shown in the figure. Furthermore, an expansion device 28 is connected to the upper surface of the flow path module 38.

[0020] The support member 12 has a bottom plate portion 15 which is a substantially rectangular plate-shaped member, and a rising wall 16 which is a substantially rectangular plate-shaped member formed integrally with the bottom plate portion 15 and provided perpendicular to the bottom plate portion 15 in the center of the bottom plate portion 15. The support member 12 is made of die-cast aluminum or injection-molded hard resin.

[0021] The bottom plate portion 15 has a fixed surface (front) on the side where the rising wall 16 is provided (the positive side in the Z direction shown in the figure) where the components of the refrigerant circuit are arranged and fixed, and a mounting surface (back) on the side opposite to the rising wall 16 (the negative side in the Z direction shown in the figure) for attaching the refrigerant unit 10 to the vehicle body or the like. The refrigerant unit 10 can be attached to the vehicle body or the like by fastening the four corners of the mounting surface of the bottom plate portion 15 with fasteners via rubber bushings.

[0022] The fixed surface of the bottom plate 15 has two regions (first region 17a and second region 17b) separated by the rising wall 16. In the bottom plate 15, the compressor 20 is installed on the first region 17a side, and the condenser 24, expansion device 28, evaporator 30, accumulator 34, and flow path module 38 are installed on the second region 17b side.

[0023] Components of the refrigerant circuit are fixed to both sides of the rising wall 16. On the rising wall 16, the surface of the bottom plate portion 15 on the first region 17a side is the first rising surface 16a on which the compressor 20 is fixed. Specifically, the compressor 20 is fixed to the first rising surface 16a either directly or via a bracket (not shown).

[0024] The side of the rising wall 16 facing the second region 17b is the second rising surface 16b for fixing the accumulator 34 and the flow path module 38. The accumulator 34 and the flow path module 38 are fixed to the second rising surface 16b either directly or via brackets (not shown).

[0025] Furthermore, the third rising surface 16c, which is the positive X-direction side of the rising wall 16, is flush with the third bottom plate surface 15c, which is the positive X-direction side of the bottom plate portion 15. Similarly, the fourth rising surface 16d, which is the negative X-direction side of the rising wall 16, is flush with the fourth bottom plate surface 15d, which is the negative X-direction side of the bottom plate portion 15.

[0026] When viewing the refrigerant unit 10 from the second rising surface 16b side, the accumulator 34, evaporator 30, and condenser 24 are arranged in the same direction (direction X in the figure). A flow path module 38 is also positioned between the evaporator 30 and condenser 24 and the second rising surface 16b.

[0027] The support member 12 is formed to extend beyond all components in any direction: forward and backward (direction X in the figure), sideways (direction Y in the figure), and upward (positive side of direction Z in the figure). For example, as shown in Figure 2, the support member 12 extends beyond the range A of all components in the X and Y directions.

[0028] In this way, since all components are configured so that they do not extend beyond the support member 12, even if the vehicle collides with another vehicle from the front or side, the support member 12 will collide with the other vehicle before all the other components, thus preventing damage to the components of the refrigerant unit 10. In other words, the present invention protects the refrigerant unit 10 with the edges (linear surfaces) of the support member 12.

[0029] Furthermore, the compressor 20 is positioned close to the first rising surface 16a, while the condenser 24, evaporator 30, flow path module 38, and accumulator 34 are positioned close to the second rising surface 16b. In the examples shown in Figures 1 to 3, the condenser 24, evaporator 30, flow path module 38, and rising wall 16 are positioned close to each other, resulting in a configuration where the condenser 24 and evaporator 30, which are furthest from the second rising surface 16b, are closer to the second rising surface 16b. By positioning each component close to the rising wall 16 in this way, the size of the support member 12 that protects each component from collision can be reduced, thereby enabling a more compact refrigerant unit 10. In this disclosure, "close" means that they may be in contact or separated by a small gap. Alternatively, the condenser 24 and evaporator 30 may be in direct proximity to the second rising surface 16b without the flow path module 38 being in between.

[0030] Furthermore, in this invention, in order to enhance frontal collision safety, the third rising surface 16c of the rising wall 16 and the third bottom plate surface 15c of the bottom plate portion 15 (hereinafter simply referred to as the "T-shaped side") are arranged to face forward. The T-shaped side can receive impact on both sides, the third rising surface 16c and the third bottom plate surface 15c, thus providing higher collision safety compared to the first bottom plate surface 15a side or the second bottom plate surface 15b side (the side of the bottom plate portion 15 opposite to the first bottom plate surface 15a), which receive impact on only one side. By arranging the T-shaped side to face forward, the impact resistance against frontal collisions, which are said to be common in vehicle collision accidents, is improved, thereby further enhancing collision safety.

[0031] Furthermore, since the fourth rising surface 16d of the rising wall 16 and the fourth bottom plate surface 15d of the bottom plate portion 15 also form a T-shaped cross-section, the same effect can be achieved even if the T-shaped side consisting of the fourth rising surface 16d of the rising wall 16 and the fourth bottom plate surface 15d of the bottom plate portion 15 faces forward in the vehicle direction, instead of the T-shaped side consisting of the third rising surface 16c of the rising wall 16 and the third bottom plate surface 15c of the bottom plate portion 15.

[0032] Furthermore, using this embodiment, when transporting multiple refrigerant units 10 stacked on top of each other, the support member 12 protects the components of the refrigerant units 10 from collisions caused by weight and vibration from adjacent units, thus simplifying the amount of cushioning material required for packaging (see Figure 3).

[0033] Furthermore, if there is no need to transport multiple refrigerant units 10 stacked on top of each other, the height of the vertical wall 16 does not need to be higher than all the components of the refrigerant unit 10. By making it only as high as necessary to fix the components, it is possible to make the refrigerant unit 10 more compact.

[0034] (Embodiment 2) Embodiment 2 is the same as Embodiment 1 except that a protrusion 50 is provided on the rising wall 16 of the refrigerant unit 10. While Embodiment 1 is a configuration in which the lateral direction of the refrigerant unit 10 is protected by one edge, Embodiment 2 is a configuration in which it is protected by one edge and a point.

[0035] In Embodiment 2, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, protrusions 50 are provided on both sides of the rising wall 16 (first rising surface 16a and second rising surface 16b) that protrude laterally from the components in the direction of the vehicle (Y direction). The length of the protrusions 50 shown in Figures 4 and 5 is such that, with the protrusions 50 positioned on the rising wall 16, the tip of the protrusions 50 coincides with the first bottom plate surface 15a and the second bottom plate surface 15b of the bottom plate portion 15 in the Y direction. However, the length of the protrusions 50 is not limited to this, and any length that protrudes laterally from the vehicle (Y direction) beyond at least all components except the support member 12 is acceptable. The mounting position of the protrusions 50 is such that it passes above the compressor 20, evaporator 30, or condenser 24. At least one protrusion 50 is provided on each surface.

[0036] It is preferable that the protrusion 50 is provided perpendicular to the first vertical surface 16a and the second vertical surface 16b, in terms of strength against lateral impacts. However, it is not limited to this, as long as sufficient strength against impacts can be ensured.

[0037] The protruding portion 50 is attached to the first vertical surface 16a and the second vertical surface 16b by an appropriate method. For example, welding, riveting, or threading can be used. Alternatively, it may be die-cast integrally with the support member 12.

[0038] The shape of the protruding portion 50 may be cylindrical as shown in Figures 4 and 5, but is not limited to this. Any shape that has sufficient strength against impact is acceptable, and various shapes such as prismatic or plate-like shapes can be applied.

[0039] The material of the protruding portion 50 can be any high-strength material such as steel. Aluminum alloy is preferable due to its strength and light weight.

[0040] (Embodiment 3) Embodiment 3 is the same as Embodiment 2 except that a protective wall 60 is provided on the protruding portion 50 of the refrigerant unit 10. While Embodiment 2 protects the refrigerant unit 10 in the lateral direction with edges and points, Embodiment 3 protects it with surfaces.

[0041] In Embodiment 3, as shown in Figure 6, a protective wall 60 is provided that is joined to the tip of the protruding portion 50. The protective wall 60 may be a frame made by combining rod-shaped bodies to form a surface, as shown in the figure, or it may be a porous surface such as perforated metal. It may also be a plate-shaped body without holes. The protective wall 60 may be attached to the protruding portion 50, but from the viewpoint of further increasing the strength against impact, it is preferable to fix it not only to the protruding portion 50 but also to the first bottom plate surface 15a and the second bottom plate surface 15b.

[0042] By providing the protective wall 60, it is possible to obtain higher collision safety. Preferably, the protective wall 60 is arranged perpendicular to the Y direction.

[0043] As described above, according to embodiments 1 to 3 of the present invention, by making the size of the support member 12 of the refrigerant unit 10 such that it extends outward beyond all the components of the refrigerant unit 10, and by arranging it so that the T-shaped cross-section faces the front of the vehicle, the collision safety of the refrigerant unit from the front or side can be improved. Furthermore, it becomes possible to simplify the cushioning material when transporting multiple refrigerant units 10 stacked on top of each other.

[0044] Incidentally, the attachment positions of components such as the compressor 20 attached to the support member 12 are not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, various arrangements can be applied, such as attaching the accumulator 34 to the same first region 17a as the compressor 20. Also, for the purpose of making the refrigerant unit 10 more compact, the condenser 24 and the evaporator 30 may be directly attached to the rising wall 16.

[0045] As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and design changes and the like within the scope not departing from the gist of the present invention are also included in the present invention.

[0046] 10: Refrigerant unit, 12: Support member, 15: Bottom plate portion, 15a: First bottom plate surface, 15b: Second bottom plate surface, 15c: Third bottom plate surface, 15d: Fourth bottom plate surface, 16: Rising wall, 16a: First rising surface, 16b: Second rising surface, 16c: Third rising surface, 16d: Fourth rising surface, 17a: First region, 17b: Second region, 20: Compressor, 24: Condenser, 28: Expansion device, 30: Evaporator, 34: Accumulator, 38: Flow path module, 50: Protrusion, 60: Protection wall, 110: Firewall, 120: HVAC, 130: Luggage space or auxiliary equipment, 140: Radiator, A: Range of all components

Claims

1. A refrigerant unit comprising a compressor, condenser, expansion device, evaporator, and accumulator mounted on a support member, wherein the support member has a bottom plate portion and a rising wall forming a T-shaped cross-section, the bottom plate portion and the rising wall extend outward from the components, and the T-shaped cross-section is positioned in the direction of the front of the vehicle.

2. The refrigerant unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the compressor is located on one side of the rising wall, and the condenser, expansion device, evaporator, and accumulator are located on the other side, and the compressor, condenser, and evaporator are arranged in close proximity to the rising wall.

3. The refrigerant unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the rising wall is provided with a projection that is positioned higher than the component and protrudes laterally from the component in the direction toward the side of the vehicle.

4. The refrigerant unit according to claim 3, characterized in that a protective wall is provided at the tip of the protruding portion.

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